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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fine · saw · suit · capital · field · can · patient · bay

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. suit — clothes
  4. can — a tin
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. field — farmland
  7. capital — a city
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. suit — to fit
  10. field — for sport
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fine — all right
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. field — a subject
  24. bay — to keep at bay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com